Napoleon Hood and his merry agents
by MLaw
Summary: Using a bow and arrow are just one of the things UNCLE agents are trained to use, and Napoleon decides on some mischief during an training session. Originally posted on section7mfu on Live Journal for the Picfic Tuesday Challenge. The cover pic for this story was the prompt.


A group of Section II agents were gathered at training site at a remote location in central New Jersey, part of a Naval Weapons Station, located along the bayshore and a place UNCLE would often use for training purposes.

The station was divided into two sections of the base were connected by a military road and rail line, both patrolled regularly by Military Police. Public access to the area was by special permit only as the waterfront pier on the bay was where military munitions were off-loaded and disposed of. It was rumored nuclear weapons were handled there as well.

The remote outdoor facilities were made available to UNCLE by the US Navy for use by their agents for interim training, rather than sending them off to the secret facility on Survival island in the South Pacific. On this occasion, the agents were practicing the use of a very old fashioned weapon, the bow and arrow in an outdoor setting rather than using the indoor range at head quarters.

Illya Kuryakin, into his gadgetry, was using a modified version of a bow, made of lightweight aluminum and was collapsible as were the arrows; he'd used it during one precarious mission, 'The Virtue Affair," involving a ring containing a radio transmitter. When tossed it into the air, he was able to fire an arrow right through and catch it. He'd impressed his Thrush on-looker, a champion bowman, and won a bet which allowed him access to the satrap run by the man.

It was a successful mission in the end result, but one in which Illya found himself captured and used as a moving target, literally with a bullseye painted on the back of his shirt, as he was being hunted by Thrush minions. He was lucky to escape that one, as his flexibility and tree climbing skills, along with some acrobatics helping immensely.

Napoleon walked over to his partner as he opened a grey briefcase containing the specialized bow and arrows, looking over Illya's shoulder, he whispered to him, "So you have that radio control ring with you?"

"I believe so, why?" Illya looked inquisitively at him.

"Because I think we have the potential for some sucker bets here with these guys."

"That would be dishonest."

"Yes, but it would be fun," Napoleon winked.

Illya looked over the group of agents standing off to the side. There were a few of them he knew disliked him just for being a Russian, and one in particular who hated him because he was, after all, a Communist. It made for a mutual disapproval society of sorts...

"I have changed my mind," Illya whispered back. "Here take the ring and put it on your finger. You can do the setup as I am sure you can figure out something interesting."

Napoleon slipped on the ring, giving his partner a wicked grin as he mischievously cocked his eyebrows.

The targets were set up and three agents at a time took their turns taking their shots. All hit their mark, but only one had a bullseye, until Kuryakin took his turn and hit the target dead center.

Solo took his turn and made the third bullseye.

The next round the same agent scored again, his name was Randy Wilkes, a real Yankee doodle dandy by any definition, and the worst of the anti-Kuryakin squad.

Napoleon just missed the center circle and that now left Illya in a faceoff against Wilkes. He hit another bullseye, infuriating the man that a pinko commie could match him, but refrained from accusing the Russian of cheating with the modified bow and arrows.

Illya had been anticipating that to happen, but kept himself calm. His skills with the weapon were real, nothing assisted here at all.

Wilkes scored another perfect shot as did Illya, and it went on shot after shot, until Solo called a stop to it.

"We could be here all day the rate this is going, how about a challenge of real skill?" He pulled off the gold band from his finger, holding it up. "How about the first one to send the arrow through the ring wins?"

"Can't be done," one of the agents called to him.

"I bet it can, and to sweeten that, I'll put twenty bucks on my partner to do it." Napoleon said.

'I'll take that bet," one called after another. Soon there was a sizeable pile of cash on a nearby picnic table, and Napoleon handed the money to one of the more friendly agents to hold it.

"Okay, one try each and the man who gets the arrow through the ring wins..."

"And if there's a tie," Wilkes said.

"Hey, you should be so lucky Randy," one of the other agents snickered.

"Let's worry about that if it happens," Napoleon said. He pulled a coin from his pocket, tossing it to see who went first and Illya won the call.

"One-two-three," Solo lobbed the ring high into the air. Illya quickly drew back his black rubber bowstring, hesitating for a second as he took aim and fired. The arrow came down, resting point first into the ground, and one of the other agents retrieved it, holding it up in triumph pointing to the ring on the shaft.

A round of applause went up to those who'd bet on the Russian, while the others supporting Randy sported sour looks.

Napoleon was about to toss the ring again, when Wilkes protested. "I'd like somebody else to do it, if you don't mind?"

"Not at all,"Solo smiled, handing the ring to one of Wilkes' supporters.

It was tossed, Wilkes held his breath, aimed, fired and... missed. A loud cheer went up to the winners and the money was quickly divvied amongst them.

It was time to head back to headquarters, and as Illya packed up his case, Napoleon handed him his portion of the winnings.

"No guilt, right partner mine? Wilkes deserved being shot down...pun intended." Napoleon said.

"None whatsoever, you see, the ring I gave you was not the radio controlled one, it was mine." Illya slipped the gold band back onto his finger."

"You're kidding?" Napoleon was incredulous.

"I kid you not my friend," Illya smiled.

Solo could never tell when he was telling the truth or not and decided to err on the side of caution, and never take the chance of betting against the Russian...ever.


End file.
